Roughly a year ago, I suggested several tips for taking climate action to readers looking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Along with contacting elected officials and joining an environmental group, I recommended attending Climate Action Week 2022. Last year’s Climate Action Week was a ringing success, with 15 events giving over 300 people the opportunity to take climate action. Together, we learned about sustainable agriculture practices, built a 200 kW community solar array, toured a net-zero office, and so much more!

After Climate Action Week, we began receiving a lot of interest from community members who wanted to participate in the Climate Action Collaborative (CAC). On numerous occasions, folks would share that they didn’t have the scientific, policy, or technical skills they thought were a requirement to participate, often asking if their participation was valuable if they didn’t possess the experience they thought was needed. The answer is unequivocally YES! We need folks with all sorts of skills, expertise, and backgrounds to be involved with climate action in Eagle County.

Getting more people involved is why we’re so excited to share more about Climate Action Week 2023! From April 17-26, the CAC, Walking Mountains, and 15 community partners will be hosting 24 events ranging from Sustainability Trivia to Sustainable Gardening, to Yoga for Climate Resilience! This year’s theme is community based climate solutions. In other words, how can everyone’s unique skills and knowledge contribute to combating climate change in an equitable manner?

It’s often said that when there’s a problem in your community, the best place to look for solutions is in the community. It’s become common knowledge that a diverse group of people collaborating typically leads to greater innovation. Harvard Business Review reports that companies that incorporate both inherent (gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, etc.) and acquired (work & cultural experience, etc.) diversity are better at creating an environment that is more conducive to “outside the box” ideas. 

Reducing emissions in Eagle County will require many outside the box ideas. It’s for that reason that the CAC is working hard to incorporate diverse voices into our work. We’re hosting more bilingual events, collaborating with folks from all corners of Eagle County, are encouraging people to join one of our working groups, and are offering the opportunity for people to come together and seek community based climate solutions during Climate Action Week. 

While all of this year's Climate Action Week events are not-to-miss, I'm especially excited about the events that tailor climate action to each individual. On April 17th, Climate Action Week will be kicked off with Changemakers in Action: Climate Coaching with Charlotte Lin. At this free workshop, attendees will learn how to become an effective climate leader using skills that suit each individual's personality and style (please register in advance).

We’re excited to reprise several events from Climate Action Week 2022 that highlight community based climate solutions. On April 21st, Colorado Mountain College will host their annual Food, Water, & Climate Speaker Panel and Sustainability Fair where folks will be able to learn more about these important local issues and network with the community. We’re also hosting another Green Building Tour, this time of the brand new One Riverfront development in Avon, on April 25th. Please register for this free tour. 

As we seek to develop more inclusive climate solutions in Eagle County, we’re making sure to have more events for families with small children and more bilingual & Spanish-first events. This year, over half of the Climate Action Week events will have Spanish interpretation available. We are especially excited to be hosting our first Sustainable Film Series all in Spanish, showing WALL-E at the Riverwalk Theater on April 26th at 6:30 in partnership with EVOM. Please register here for this free event.   

The CAC and Walking Mountains are very excited for Climate Action Week. We are grateful to all our community partners for their support and look forward to all the amazing community based climate solutions that will come out of these events. We look forward to having you join us for Climate Action Week! 

If you go:

• What: Climate Action Week
• When: April 17-26th 
• Where: Events across Eagle County
• Cost: Most events are free
• More information & registration: https://www.walkingmountains.org/climateaction

Will Barror is the Climate Action Coordinator at Walking Mountains Science Center. The Climate Action Collaborative is working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Eagle County 50% by 2030 and 80% by 2050.